Rare Lincoln penny sells for $2,230 online – see what you need to look for to find the coin in your spare change

A RARE, certified penny has recently sold for more than $2,200 online.

This 1955 double die obverse Lincoln wheat cent was designed by Victor Brenner and minted in Philadelphia.

Mr Brenner designed the penny in 1909 to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln.

The obverse features Lincoln's head while the reverse includes two ears of wheat stalks.

Because there is no mint mark on this particular penny, it generally adds to its value.

The coin sold on eBay for an impressive $2,230 after attracting 22 bids. 

The value of Double Die coins

Double die refers to an error that happens during the strike process.

The metal pieces used to create the coin’s features strike multiple times to embed the image or text.

However, when the die strike is misaligned, letters, numbers, and images on some coins get marked twice in slightly different places.

These error coins can be of major value to coin collectors.

If in average condition, USA Coin Book estimates the value of these 1955 double die coins at or around $1,318.

If the coins are in mint condition, the price shoots up to anywhere between $4,261 to $17,057.

How to spot it

To spot a double die, you won’t need to do much as the error is fairly noticeable.

Another thing to look for on these particular pennies is the missing mint mark.

According to the US Mint, during the early years of coin making, Philadelphia was the only branch in operation, so marking the coin wasn’t necessary.

Although, when other coins are missing a mint mark, it typically is an error that collectors say drives up the price.

How to check your coin's worth

Make sure to check your spare change for any rare pennies, nickels, dimes, and others as many of these coins could sell for thousands.

Typically, the most valuable coins are ones with a low mintage or an error, as it makes them rare.

A great website to check if your coins are worth anything is eBay.

You just need to search the full coin name, select the "sold" listing and then toggle the search to "highest value”.

If your coins are rare and valuable, you can sell them on eBay or go through a specialist site such as Coinappraiser or USA Coin Book.

These are the most valuable coins in circulation without a mint mark from pennies to dimes.

Plus, this rare dime recently sold for $5,555 online.